Clever McDonald’s advert [free coffee!]

A giant steaming coffee cup at Bloor and Church streets in Toronto

I was walking along Bloor Street this morning; I noticed in the distance a giant steaming coffee cup. When I got closer, I noticed a decal on the cup indicating that McDonald’s will be giving away free coffee November 16th-29th between 5:30 and 10:30 AM (breakfast hours).

Given the highly localized marketing effort, let’s presume this offer is only valid at locations in Downtown Toronto until we hear otherwise. Perhaps more advertising will appear closer to the launch date for the offer.

I’m sure the intent of this advertisement was to generate word of mouth which means that I’m falling prey to their marketing objectives by posting this. I also appreciate clever advertising when I see it. Walking past a well-branded steaming cup of coffee early in the morning is a pretty easy message to absorb, even if you’re a zombie like me in the mornings.

The last time McDonald’s ran a free coffee campaign, it actually worked on me. Sometimes I now get coffee with a breakfast meal instead of milk or juice. I normally would not have ordered coffee at McDonald’s but the freebie gave me a chance to try it. It’s not bad. I prefer McDonald’s coffee to Tim Horton’s.

Before you cry “Blasphemy!”, Tim’s coffee really isn’t that good. It’s weak. I prefer to make my own coffee at home with fresh beans, my own grinder and a french press. If I get coffee out, I tend to get fancy coffees (mmm, Café Mocha), with a strong preference for The Second Cup.*